Sir Paul McCartney to release cookbook

Beatles star Sir Paul McCartney has asked friends, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey, to divulge their favourite vegetarian recipes for a new cookbook.

The pop legend, a longtime vegetarian, has co-written the Meat Free Monday Cookbook as part of his ongoing campaign urging fans to eat less meat.

Celebrity contributors include Hollywood stars Paltrow and Spacey, who offers up a recipe for lentil stew with pan-fried halloumi and pomegranate, as well as former model Twiggy, who shares her favourite mozzarella pasta dish.

Sir Paul shares recipes for refried bean tacos and super vegetable salad, and describes the environmental and financial benefits of giving up meat in the book’s foreword.

“In difficult economic times, people discovered that have at least one meat-free day in their week helped their family budget … (We can) make a huge difference for the better and set a new pattern for the future of this beautiful planet that we all inhabit,” he writes.